F 144 
 .P5 P5 
 Copy 2 
 
 Old 
 
 Church of 
 St. George's 
 in Penn's Neck 
 
 ^ 
 
 Paper Read Before Salem County 
 Historical Society, September 8th, 
 1908, by Mrs. Augusta Austin Pettit 
 

Old 
 
 Church of 
 St. George's 
 in Penn's Neck 
 
 ^ 
 
 Paper Read Before Salem County 
 Historical Society, September 8th, 
 1908, by Mrs. Augusta Austin Pettit 
 
 ti. 
 
 'V\ 
 

 _ SUN5EAM 
 FUDLISHINGCOMFANY 
 
 Gifl 
 The .S<^oi945 
 
Old Church of St George's in Penn's Neck 
 
 Pastor Isreal Acrelius in his history 
 of New Sweden narrates that "it wa3 
 near forty years after the building of 
 tlie little Dutch fort Nassau, [now 
 Gloucester, N. J.] before any one felt 
 disposed to settle and establish his 
 home there." It seems to have been 
 regarded a.s "a wild land, where noth- 
 ing could thrive." The possibilities 
 there of early tomato and sweet potato 
 growing had evidently not been dream- 
 ed of. Mat Matsson, the father-in-law 
 of Pastor Rudman at Wicacoa, was the 
 first to venture at Raccoon, now 
 Swedesboro, N. J. Others soon follow- 
 ed, and as the population increased 
 there grew a desire for a church on 
 their side of the Delaware river. They' 
 had grown very tired of having to 
 cross over to Wicacoa — to which parish 
 their little settlement had hitherto been 
 considered as belonging — when 'n need 
 of spiritual instruction and support. 
 
 Under considerable opposition from 
 the "other side" where they doubtless 
 needed the aid of this little dissatisfied 
 colony on the eastern shore, the Rac- 
 coon, or Narratican creek people in the 
 year 1704 persevered in successfully 
 building for themselves a church, un- 
 der the leadership of a Mr. Tolstadius. 
 who did not stand in the best of lights 
 with the regular Swedish Lutheran 
 Clergy of this country at that time. 
 Poor man! He was drowned soon af- 
 terward, and his story is one, of which 
 the details are too long to be told here. 
 
 The property on wiiich this primitive 
 church was erected is the same plot on 
 which the present fine old "Trinity," 
 the Episcopal Church at Swedesboro 
 now stands, erected between 1778 and 
 1786, during the pastorate of Dr. Nich- 
 
 olas Collin. In this church are still 
 preserved the Swedish records, which 
 began in the year 1713 and during the 
 charge of Mr. Abraham Lidenins. Like 
 all such registers they are extremely 
 interesting, especially so to those who 
 may have Dutch or Swedish ancestry 
 for these two nationalities predominat- 
 ed; although the early Swedish church- 
 es extended a welcome to the English 
 who as the records show must have 
 been glad to avail themselves of the 
 opportunities thus afforded them for 
 divine worship at a time when English 
 churches were also few and far be- 
 tween; and the Swedes were ever soli- 
 citous of the spiritual welfare of the 
 Indian. Mr. Campanins records an ap- 
 pe'al to his most Gracious King Charles 
 for the gift of a musical instrument — 
 an organ — for the church at Philadel- 
 phia, "because it might prove not only 
 seductive to the Indians who will come 
 long distances to hear sweet music, 
 but also to the young of the Quaker 
 congregations, whose form of religious 
 worship is so bare of all attractions 
 to the young." These may not be the 
 exact words, but tne meaning is iden- 
 tical. 
 
 To go back to the records: They are 
 at first written in the Swedish langu- 
 age, but in 1733 a request was granted 
 to have them "made in the English 
 tongue." The paper of the registry 
 book contains the water-mark of ine 
 Swedish crown; and on the right hand 
 pages are recorded the births, marriag- 
 es and deaths of the Penn's Neck con- 
 gregation and on the left are those 
 of the Raccoon church. 
 
 The proper names and the dates 
 readily translate tliemselves, but the 
 
explanatory headings, are as Greek to 
 the lay-student, and 'tis only by the 
 registry of a birth and baptism being 
 followed by two or three names — those 
 of the sponsors — that it can be distin- 
 guished from that of a death. 
 
 Mr. Acrelius seems to have become 
 well acquainted with the district be- 
 tween these two parishes which covers 
 a distance of about fifteen miles. His 
 description is not over-enthusiastic, 
 for he states that "the land of Penn's 
 Neck lies low, and consists in great 
 part of moors and marshes; that it has 
 good soil in the lower part, but is 
 quite sandy and poor in the upper. It 
 is as yet little cleared or inhabited; 
 [1750-60] the air being unhealthy and 
 producing chills and fevers. Good 
 springs are rarely found and the people 
 generally have a pale and sickly ap- 
 pearance." 
 
 These good but "sickly" people of 
 Penn's Neck, had mostly come over to 
 the "eastern shoare" from the west side 
 of the South river, or from what was 
 early known as New Sweden, now Del- 
 aware and southeastern Pennsylvania. 
 For many years after the coming of 
 Fenwick's colony in New Jersey, they 
 were considered yet "tydable" or tax- 
 able by the Dutch government over at 
 New Amstel, (New Castle after the 
 English possession) and previous to 
 1714 were included in Holy Trinity or 
 Old Swede's parish at Christianaham, 
 (afterward Willing's Town, now Wil- 
 mington, Del.) 
 
 They too, like the neighboring con- 
 gregation at Raccoon, found it ofttimes 
 impossible and always arduous to cross 
 the wide river to attend churcii; and 
 not less so for them to go by the long 
 sandy and wilderness road to the first 
 founded Swedish Luthern Church at 
 Raccoon creek. So they now began to 
 think of erecting a church of their 
 own, near this settlement. Unlike the 
 congregation at Swedesboro these 
 
 Penn's Neck people, could proceed in 
 the regular waj^ for they had the sup- 
 port and encouragement of that ami- 
 ble countenanced (portrait at Old 
 Swedes, Wil.) and most popular of 
 pastors the Provost Bjork who procured 
 permission from the Bishop of Skara 
 Sweden, dated November 24, 1714, for 
 the erection of such a building for such 
 a purpose; and with the assurance that 
 the Trinity congregation on the west- 
 ern shore would aid, as the eastern 
 slaore people had aided them to build 
 their church in 1689 — "according to 
 their ability." 
 
 This first Penn's Neck Swedish Luth- 
 eran Church, was begun immediately, 
 but although of logs and only twenty- 
 four feet square, it was not completed 
 until 1717, when according to the much 
 quoted authority Acrelius, on March 
 31st it was consecrated and called St. 
 Georges. Whether the influence of the 
 English, who had by this time become 
 quite populous in the neighborhood, 
 contributed to the choice of name, we 
 have not been able to ascertain but it 
 seems quite probable that it did. 
 
 Jean or John Jaquett is said to have 
 been of French Huguenot extraction, 
 and it is claimed that he was a de- 
 scendant of Vice-governor Jean Paul 
 Jaquett, who held that office for one 
 year, at New Amstel, under the Dutch. 
 Whoever, and however, it is recorded at 
 Swedesborough in the old church book 
 that the former, made grant of two 
 acres of land on which to build the 
 Penn's Neck Church, and for a burial 
 ground and it "adjoins the land of 
 Jonas Slogan." The deed is dated Jan- 
 uary 8, 1714-15; the witnesses are 
 Abraham Lindenius, (pastor at Rac- 
 coon) Henrie Janes, and Nicholas 
 Moore. 
 
 The early pew holders were: Jacob 
 Vondevair, Henry Peterson, Lucas 
 Peterson, j^ara Peterson, Andrew Peter- 
 son, Bertha Peterson, Cornelius Cor- 
 
neiiusson, Olof V. Neman, Simon Eas- 
 ton, Jacob Hendrickson, Hans Sherein, 
 Jean V. Neman, Jean Mi nek, Eric 
 Franssom, Martha Guilliamson, Jonas 
 biogan, Wm. Mecum, Jacob Savoy, 
 Henrie Geens, Sennick Seneckson, Joh 
 Shagen, Johan Savoy, Henrie V. Neman, 
 Thos. Wiggory, David Savoy, John Se- 
 neckson, Tim Darnlej% Jacob Danielson, 
 Andrew Peterson, Andrew Boone, Peter 
 Boone, John Jaquett, Olof Stahlkopp, 
 Sarah Sineck, John Philpot, Anica 
 Fransson, Anneca Sineck, Helena 
 Boone and Fransenky Boone. This is 
 the first list found. 
 
 The Bishop also appointed Mr. Lin- 
 denius pastor of the two parishes — 
 the Raccoon and the Penn's Neck, over 
 which he continued to preside until 
 the year 1724. He was succeeded for 
 a year by Rev. Samuel Hessellins whose 
 brother Gustavus Hessellins came to 
 this country with him in 1711, and is 
 claimed to be the earliest "painter of 
 faces" or portrait painter in America. 
 
 This earliest Register at Swedesboro 
 was begun and faithfully kept by Li- 
 denius during his pastorate and neatly 
 too. do they appear today. This same 
 book is continued by the successive 
 ministers until 178o. In it, and the two 
 at Salem (which were irregularly kept) 
 are to be found much of the details of 
 purchase of church- properties and of 
 the rebuilding and the repairs of the 
 churches; in the itemized accounts, it 
 is somewhat startling to see "for rum 
 for the workmen" fearlessly set down. 
 
 Not until 1750 is there any extant 
 records of Penn's Neck that were kept 
 there. At this date it was decided that 
 "a regular account of membership be- 
 ing very useful, tlie following is be- 
 gun." These books (and in fact the 
 churches) are now under the care of 
 the Rector of St. John's Protestant 
 Episcopal Church at Salem. N. J. and 
 in the cu.stody of Thomas Jaquett. 
 
 In seeming atonement for past neg- 
 
 lect when the birth and baptism of a 
 child is registered, very often the an- 
 cestry is carried back as far as possi- 
 ble, with the additional information, 
 whether of Swedish, Dutch, English or 
 Finnish parentage. 
 
 In 1755 this explanation is set forth: 
 "The Penn's Neck church being so far 
 from Swedesboro the minister could 
 not attend all the funerals, and no care- 
 ful person to record them was at hand. 
 Therefore it was left to place the most 
 important in the register at Swedes- 
 borough church." 
 
 One of those early Swedish Divines 
 after having registered one by the 
 name of "Holston" volunteers this re- 
 mark, viz: "N. B. The proper Swedish 
 name is Hollsten, but some call it 
 Holston, others Holson as the English 
 maim all all foreign names, and many 
 here cannot write their own." 
 
 Mr. Acrelius also tells us that it took 
 eight years for the two congregations 
 to agree as to the location of a suit- 
 able "Glebe Farm" or parsonage. It 
 was finally decided that Goran (Joran) 
 Kyn's plantation would be convenient 
 to both parishes. It is recorded to have 
 consisted of 117 acres and to have cost 
 £145 on March 21, 1720. This property 
 near Woodstown is now owned by John 
 Quirk, and the "Old Manse" is still 
 habitable. In the stronger and vellum- 
 covered book of the two Penn's Neck. 
 on its Swedish-crown water-marked 
 pages, the sale of this midway home of 
 the pastors is chronicled, viz: "1795, 
 March 24. The plantation in Piles- 
 grove known by the name of Parsonage 
 Farm was exposed to publick sale and 
 the same was cryed off to Edward Hall, 
 he being the highest bidder for the 
 sum of £1600 which half sum belongs 
 to the church of Lower Neck." 
 
 The Lower Neck Church ofttimes suf- 
 fered vacancies, and the Swedesboro 
 too: but ns statod liefore, the records 
 were quite faithfully kept when possi- 
 
ble; however during- the incumbency of 
 the Rev. Jolm VV^icksell such lamenta- 
 tions as these occur: 1768 February 
 26, Francis Miles died of a decay, or 
 consumption 41 years old. Many more 
 died and were buried (at Penn's Neck) 
 but they did not apply to me for to at- 
 tend, as is the bad custom of this eon- 
 g-reg-ation." Francis Miles was buried 
 in the Old Presbyterian yard at Penns- 
 ville and not at St. George's. As are 
 some others bearing the names of the 
 earliest pew holders. 
 
 At another date following same en- 
 try is. "N. B. If ever there be any 
 observed faults in any of these my rec- 
 ords it is not my neglect or any my 
 own. But entirely the neglect and ig-- 
 norance belonging- to some of my hear- 
 ers, who are not mindful of themselves. 
 or of any good order, or any other good 
 tiling belonging to their salvation." 
 
 In another place ne reitterates his 
 complaint: "Many more were buried 
 here in Penn's Neck without my knowl- 
 edge, as is customary among- them for 
 many years back. Lord! Enlighten 
 and strengthen better the coming gen- 
 erations!" 
 
 Doubtless the cause of this seeming 
 waywardness in Mr. Wicksell's Penn's 
 Neck parishioners was from force of 
 existing- circumtance — no daily mailrf 
 no phones, no steam cars, but very bad 
 roads; and there was probably a Pres- 
 byterian minister closer at hand, where 
 a church of that demonination was es- 
 tablished at Pennsville by 1748 and 
 perhaps considerable earlier; besides 
 there were no appliances at hand, 
 whereby the interment of their dead 
 might be delayed. All of these condi- 
 tions tended to lend an appearance of 
 neglect of duties toward their own 
 minister at Raccoon, or Swedesborough. 
 Several names of early pew-holders 
 (surnames )are noticeable in the old 
 Presbyterian yard, and Acrelius states 
 that a certain man of note was buried 
 
 in that g-round, many years before, "for 
 lack of a better place." 
 
 From the founding of the Sweedish 
 colonies on the Delaware (which by the 
 way was not then called by that name 
 but the South river, just as the Hudson 
 was called the North) to the removal 
 of the Rev. Dr. Collin to Philadelphia 
 in 1786, these people of Swedesborough 
 and Penn's Neck Lutheran Cliurches 
 had been supplied with native minis- 
 ters by the munificence of Queen Chris- 
 tiana and her Royal Successors; the 
 latter without any hope of remunera- 
 tion, other than that love and interest, 
 which these northern countrymen seem 
 to have borne one another as a nation. 
 
 Of course the congregations here 
 were expected to contribute toward the 
 worldly comfort of their pastors, and 
 they no doubt did — according to their 
 circumstances. 
 
 Mr. Collin (pronounced as if spelled 
 "Colleen") has left written in the Ny 
 Kyrkio Bok (New Church Book) a 
 rather pitiful account of the temporal 
 existence of these two churches and 
 their pastors, especially during the 
 period of the Revolution, during a part 
 of which time he served them. 
 
 About 1748-50 Peter Kalm. the Swed- 
 ish botanist located himself at Swedes- 
 borough, and- as the regular pastor had 
 recently died, he was qualified to hold 
 relig-ious services in these two churches. 
 It would be most interesting to know, 
 'f it were he. who pressed the blossoms 
 of the blood-root between the pages 
 of the old church-book of Penn's Neck, 
 wliere the stains indellibly remain. One 
 of our handsomest shrubs bears his 
 name — the Kalmia or Mountain laurel. 
 
 As early as 1744 the English colonists 
 had engaged to hold service of the 
 Franssom. Tehan Berthillvson, Martha 
 Church of England at St. Georg-e's onc*^ 
 a month; and finally after the removal 
 of Dr. Collin to Philadelphia (1789) 
 these two Swedish Lutheran Churches 
 
were wholly transferred to that of the 
 Protestant Episcopal fold, by the Rev. 
 John Wade, and the first v«stry was 
 then chosen. 
 
 Many have asked how this change 
 of faith came about. Mr. Julius Sachse 
 in his memorial, on The First Ordina- 
 tion in America, states that Dr. Collin 
 restrained the movement as long as 
 possible, that the change was gradual 
 and one of successive steps, in which 
 the language question was the chief 
 factor — the decay of the Swedish and 
 the universal adoption of the English 
 tongue. For lack of Liturgical book in 
 the Swedish language the Book of 
 Common Prayer in English had long 
 been resorted to, even by Pastor Col- 
 lin. 
 
 The log church in 1808 was replaced 
 by one of bricKs and this in course of 
 time and but quite recently (1880) was 
 remodelled into the present attractive 
 little memorial windowed chvirch at 
 Church Landing, about one mile above 
 
 Pennsville on the river. It is said that 
 this landing received its name from 
 the fact that it was where the early 
 inhabitants congregated to take the 
 boats for Old Swedes across the river 
 on a Sundays oi ye olden time, and 
 landed here on their return from 
 church. 
 
 In the old churchyard lie those who 
 may not have exactly blazed a trail, 
 but rather made dykes and ditches to 
 drain the land, and embankments to 
 restrain the tides. The old stones bear 
 the names of many prominent families 
 not only in the history of the township 
 but names that now may be found in 
 every State of the Union, where their 
 descendants have carried them. Some 
 few, however, have become extinct. 
 Such names as Carney, Helms, Jeans, 
 Rose, Bettle, Mardin and Philpot. are 
 no longer familiar ones here in Salem 
 county. 
 
 M. AUGUSTA PETTIT. 
 SeptembQ,r 8th, 1908. 
 
m-